Michigan's Tate Forcier Groomed To Be a QB

Great story from the AP about Tate's path to become the Michigan starting quarterback. The biggest influence has been his father, Michael Forcier.

"I'd be lying if I said I was surprised," Michael Forcier said Monday before a question was even asked about his son in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "Tate has been doing this at every level."

It didn't hurt that Tate has worked extensively with trainer Marv Marinovich, a former USC and NFL standout, since he was eight years old. Marv compared Tate to his son, Todd, who was a first-round pick.

"Ability-wise, Tate is very similar to Todd because he's in control on the field with great biomechanics and a win-any-game confidence," Marv Marinovich said. "I've only spent time with Tate on the field, so I can't say what he's really like (off the field)."

Coach Rod Smith described Tate's daily routine growing up.

"His daily regiment was to wake up at six o'clock in the morning, grab a protein shake, go run, come back, go to school," said Michigan quarterbacks coach Rod Smith, who recruited Forcier. "Then, he'd go get a workout with a private instructor, a quarterback coach so to speak, then do some homework and practice. That was his daily grind."

One little known fact about his performance this past week: "Tate said he cried when he ran out of the tunnel and on the field and saw 110,000 people and truly realized how much Michigan football means to so many people," he said. "It gets me choked up just thinking about him telling me that because it tells me my son really gets it."